Another coronavirus case confirmed in Borders, taking total to just short of 300

Another case of coronavirus has been confirmed in the Borders today, May 14, taking the total for the region to just short of 300.
Nicola Sturgeon giving a Covid-19 update earlier this week.Nicola Sturgeon giving a Covid-19 update earlier this week.
Nicola Sturgeon giving a Covid-19 update earlier this week.

The 298 cases diagnosed here are among 14,117 nationwide, up from 13,929 yesterday.

Across the UK, 229,705 people have tested positive for the disease, up 3,242 on the day before.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It’s just over two months since the first two cases of Covid-19, as the illness is also known, were confirmed in the Borders on Wednesday, March 11, and well over two months since Scotland’s first case, in Tayside, was announced on Sunday, March 1, after spreading across the world from Wuhan in China.

That figure rose to three on Friday, March 13; five on Saturday, March 14; seven on Sunday, March 15; eight the following Thursday, March 19; nine on Friday, March 20; 10 on Saturday, March 21; 11 on Sunday, March 22; 12 on Monday, March 23; 15 on Wednesday, March 25; 23 on Thursday, March 26; 28 on Friday, March 27; 35 on Saturday, March 28; 50 on Sunday, March 29; 63 on Monday, March 30; 77 on Tuesday, March 31; 87 on Wednesday, April 1; 93 on Thursday, April 2; 100 on Friday, April 3; 110 on Saturday, April 4; 130 on Sunday, April 5; 139 on Monday, April 6; 149 on Tuesday, April 7; 160 on Wednesday, April 8; 167 on Thursday, April 9; 177 on Friday, April 10; 189 on Saturday, April 11; 199 on Sunday, April 12; 204 on Monday, April 13; 208 on Tuesday, April 14; 215 on Wednesday, April 15; 220 on Thursday, April 16; 229 on Friday, April 17; 231 on Saturday, April 18; 237 on Sunday, April 19; 239 on Monday, April 20; 240 on Tuesday, April 21; 243 on Wednesday, April 22; 248 on Thursday, April 23; 253 on Friday, April 24; 258 on Saturday, April 25; 259 on Sunday, April 26; 269 on Monday, April 27; 272 on Tuesday, April 28; 279 on Wednesday, April 29; 281 on Friday, May 1; 283 on Saturday, May 2; 284 on Sunday, May 3; 285 on Wednesday, May 6; 286 on Thursday, May 7; 292 on Monday; 294 on Tuesday; 297 yesterday; and 298 today.

The number of cases of Covid-19 in the Borders remains higher than in one of its neighbouring health board areas, Dumfries and Galloway’s total being 255, but is still well below the two others, Lanarkshire and Lothian being up to 1,762 and 2,459 respectively.

The death toll claimed by coronavirus in the Borders stands at 32.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

That follows the first fatality in the region among those to have tested positive for the disease since one reported a fortnight ago today being confirmed on Tuesday.

Figures issued by the National Records of Scotland, taking into account all deaths attributed to coronavirus and not just among those previously tested and found to be infected, put the death toll for the region at 48 as of Sunday, however.

It’s now been almost a month and a half since the first five fatalities among Covid-19 patients were announced on Monday, March 30.

That figure, going by Scottish Government calculations, rose to seven the day after, March 31; eight on Wednesday, April 1; 11 on Thursday, April 2; 14 on Friday, April 3; 16 on Sunday, April 5; 17 on Monday, April 6; 19 on Tuesday, April 7; 20 on Friday, April 10; 22 on Saturday, April 11; 23 on Sunday, April 12; 26 on Monday, April 13; 27 on Thursday, April 23; 28 on Friday, April 24; 29 on Monday, April 27; 30 on Wednesday, April 29; 31 on Thursday, April 30; and 32 on Tuesday.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They are among 2,007 coronavirus patients killed by the disease in Scotland so far, up 34 from 1,973 overnight, and 33,186 UK-wide, a rise of 494 on the day before.

Altogether, 71 Scots are in intensive care receiving treatment for coronavirus, with 61 having tested positive and the others awaiting results.

Hospitals in the region are currently treating 26 patients confirmed to have Covid-19 and another 12 suspected to be infected but waiting on test results.

Some 80,275 tests for the illness have been carried out in Scotland so far, with 66,158turning out negative.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Giving an update in Edinburgh today on the outbreak, Scottish Government first minister Nicola Sturgeon issued another plea to Scots to comply with the continuing lockdown and snub alfresco protests reportedly being planned, saying: “I will not keep these restrictions in place longer than necessary, but the other side of that is that right now it is necessary to stop this virus running out of control again.

“In terms of the so-called protests, I know there has been material circulating on social media.

“Firstly, anybody who goes to a picnic in the park right now would be breaking the law. Gatherings outside of households are not allowed.

“The other, perhaps even more important reason not to do it is you would be putting people’s lives at risk.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“If anyone out there is even remotely tempted to go to some illegal gathering in a park this weekend because you are fed up with lockdown, I understand you are fed up. We are all fed up, but we’re having to do it for the right reasons.

“If you do that, it’s no exaggeration to say you’d be putting people’s lives at risk, so please don’t do it.

“By staying at home, we are continuing to slow down the spread of the virus and reduce the number of new cases of it we are seeing every day.”